Prawn salad with red currant sauce on a bed of rocket or arugula, a light easy meal, perfect for a summer lunch.
This prawn salad with red currant sauce is one of the best meals I had in the last weeks, I think.
I decided to make this recipe mostly to be able to use some of the millions of red currants my neighbor seems to have in her garden this summer and because I wanted to make something a bit unusual. A spicy red currant sauce that complements the tenderness of the prawns and the pepperiness of the rocket perfectly.
I absolutely loved the prawns, I could eat them cooked this way every day, but it is the savory red currant sauce what made this recipe special. Sour, hot, sweet – all in one – and that poured over that peppery rocket – heaven!
So although I made the sauce especially for this particular dish, I used the rest of it to dress a couple of salads over the next few days, so I can say that this sauce makes a wonderful dressing as well.
What do you need?
Prawns or shrimps:
- They are not the same, but they can be used interchangeably in this recipe.
- Fresh is best, but frozen and properly thawed will have to do sometimes, fresh seafood is not abundant where I live.
- They should also be peeled and deveined.
Red currants
Rocket or arugula
Creme de cassis: optional, I use it when I happen to have it.
- If you don’t have it, either leave it out completely or replace it with another fruit liquor or a little brandy.
How to serve?
- The recipe is supposed to serve 4. My husband and I had absolutely no difficulties in managing the whole thing alone.
- Serve the prawn salad immediately with crusty bread or French baguette.
More currants recipes:
Prawn Salad with Red Currant Sauce
Ingredients
- 16 tiger prawns peeled and deveined
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- some sweet paprika powder
- 1 shallot
- 7 oz red currants 200 g
- 1 red chili
- 4 tablespoons sugar
- 3 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon corn starch
- 1 tablespoon cassis liquor optional
- 1 teaspoon honey or more to taste
- two large handfuls arugula/ rocket
- fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Marinate prawns: Place the clean prawns in a bowl, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, paprika, and some salt. Mix well with your hands and set aside until you are almost finished with the sauce.
- Prepare: Chop the shallot very finely. Remove the stems from the red currants. Deseed (or not) the red chili and chop it very finely.
- Red currant sauce: Heat the second tablespoon olive oil in a small saucepan. Cook the shallot on medium heat until translucent. Add the red currants, chili, sugar, 3 tablespoons water, and some salt. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes. Pass the mixture through a sieve to remove the seeds of the currants and pour the sauce back into the pan.
- Thicken: In a small bowl, mix the corn starch with very little water to form a paste. Bring the sauce back to boil and slowly whisk in the cornstarch mixture. Cook for another minute, then stir in the cassis liquor and the honey.
- Salad: While the sauce is cooking, wash and dry the rocket and arrange it on four plates or a large platter.
- Cook prawns: Heat a large non-stick pan on medium heat. Add the prawns and cook for 1 to 2 minutes on each side. Do not overcook. Place the prawns on top of the rocket and pour some of the red currant sauce all over.
- Serve immediately with the remaining sauce and baguette.
mjskitchen
Tuesday 23rd of June 2020
What a nice way to enjoy prawns. The Growers market here in town always have red currents in early summer, but unfortunately, they are shut down this year. Bummer, because I would love to make this dish. Beautiful presentation Adnina!
Kathy @ Beyond the Chicken Coop
Tuesday 9th of August 2016
How lucky to have a surplus of red currants! Love that you've used them with these prawns. The color is spectacular.
Anne
Sunday 7th of August 2016
This sounds like such a lovely combination!
Angie@Angie's Recipes
Sunday 7th of August 2016
My kind of salad...those prawns are really succulent and delicious.
Nammi
Sunday 7th of August 2016
Wow look at those juicy prawns.